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Be human. It’s a simple idea, but what does that mean for online
marketing? Our Team Digital, a group of experts in social media
and public relations, weighed in on just this question in our
debut Google Hangout, a regular series designed
to help you better build your online brand. Today’s hangout,
hosted by our technology editor Jason Fell, focused on making
digital marketing relatable, and covered everything from
creating customer loyalty to engaging through social media.
We’ve collected four of the most important takeaways below,
but there were gems throughout so don’t forget to watch
the full video of the hangout
online.

Tip 1. Ditch the corporate speak. Never
forget that your messages are being read by a real person just
like you. When you write your e-newsletters or post to social
media keep that dynamic in mind. Make your readers laugh. Say
you’re sorry when things go wrong. Be mindful of people’s time
and tell them what they want and need to know. In other words, do
all the things you’d appreciate in any offline one-on-one
communication. This method will make anything, whether it’s an
email or a tweet, valuable to your users and increase traffic and
open rates. Says DJ Waldow, founder & CEO of Waldow Social, an email marketing firm,
“You have to earn that trust.”

Tip 2. Be reachable. Find an easy way for
your consumer to give you feedback. Make sure readers with a
question don’t find the words “Do not reply to this email” when
they scroll through your email newsletters. Similarly, if
customers have a suggestion, make it easy for them to share their
ideas. If you happen to put that idea into practice, don’t forget
to let them know, says Peter Shankman, the CEO of The Geek
Factory, Inc., a boutique Social Media, Marketing and PR
Strategy firm. “You want to turn readers into loyalists,” he
adds, “and loyalists into someone who would take a bullet for
you.”

Tip 3. Tell your story. According to our
experts, your “About Us” page is one of the most visited pages on
your web site and probably the most underutilized. Don’t neglect
this opportunity to reflect on all the reasons people should
connect with your business, says Rick Mulready, creator of The Inside Social Media Podcast. Make sure it
tells people who you are and what you can do for them, he
suggests. It should also reflect their needs, adds Shankman.
If they’ve arrived from Twitter, keep the content short and
sweet.

Tip 4. Further the conversation. If you’re
using social media, know your goals, says Mulready. Determine why
you want to have a public conversation with your readers and then
identify the three top platforms that can help you have that
conversation. And be where your users are. A great Pinterest
profile won’t help you if you users are on Twitter. “Too many
business owners focus on too many platforms and they go too
thin,” says Mulready. “You have to pick one that aligns with your
objective.”